1. Foundation Degree in Care Studies.
Sociological Perspectives

2. To understand the different concepts of ill health.
Sociological Perspectives
Learning Objective:
To understand the different concepts of ill health.

3. Sociological Perspectives
Last week we looked at disability, and the concepts used to understand it.
What are the two
models of disability
called?

4. Sociological Perspectives
Do you think it is the medical professions that label us with conditions?
In some cases, it is the medical professions that cause the diseases.

5. Sociological Perspectives
This effect is known as iatrogenesis.
This means “created by a healer.”

6. Sociological Perspectives
The term was introduced as a criticism of industrialised society and its bureaucratic institutions.

7. Sociological Perspectives
This is still a major issue- the way we rely on and trust doctors has been instilled in many societies.

8. Sociological Perspectives
Particular areas of concern are the side effects of drugs, the risks attached to medical trials and concerns about infections spread within hospitals.
Can you
think of
some
examples?

9. Sociological Perspectives
There are three major types of iatrogenesis:

10. Sociological Perspectives
Clinical iatrogenesis:
The unwanted side-effects of medical intervention

11. Sociological Perspectives
Social iatrogenesis:
Medicine has gained so much power and status that people too quickly and easily put themselves in the hands of the profession
They become mass
consumers of medical
products.

12. Sociological Perspectives
Cultural iatrogenesis:
Society becomes over-concerned with perfect health, making it difficult to develop positive attitudes towards impairment and to cope with death.

13. Sociological Perspectives
What other ways do you think healthcare could have a negative effect on someone’s health?
Have you ever had a situation made worse by medical intervention?

14. Sociological Perspectives
How many of you have felt unwell in the last two weeks?

15. Sociological Perspectives
How many of you have sought medical help in the last two weeks?

16. Sociological Perspectives
The vast difference in those numbers is evidence for the existence of a “clinical iceberg.”
This is where the majority of
ill health goes unreported-
doctors are only seeing the
“tip of the iceberg.”

17. Sociological Perspectives
Can you think of some examples of illnesses that may go unreported?
Why would this be?

18. Sociological Perspectives
When you are ill, what sort of things do you do?
Do you take a day off?
Do you take advice?
Do you take medicine?
Do you stay in bed?
Do people help you out?
How do you act?

19. Sociological Perspectives
These types of behaviours are part of playing the sick role.
In exchange for being helped out, for sympathy and time off, you have to take medicines, follow
advice and act in a certain way.